By Mike McCarthy
There are few offensive linemen in the NFL who are explosive enough to stop Jason Pierre Paul. A firework, however, has proven explosive enough to slow him down.
In one of the more bizarre offseason injuries in recent memory, the New York Giants defensive lineman, who was slapped with the franchise tag earlier in the offseason, had a firework accident which resulted in a broken thumb and an amputated index finger on his right hand.
That’s not even the weird part. Pierre Paul, according to reports, has not had any contact with the Giants organization since the accident. That absence of communication resulted in him missing Wednesday’s deadline to sign a long term deal with the Giants. This means that his only option for this year is to sign the Franchise tender offer of $14.8 million, and guarantees he will become an unrestricted Free Agent after the 2015-16 season.
This communication gap, which started when the Giants found out via television reports and social media that Pierre Paul had been injured – he never called them – could drive a wedge between the parties when it comes to the team courting him after next season
Those issues are in the distant future, however, and the Giants and Pierre Paul have the upcoming season still to worry about. Estimates range from five to eight weeks of recovery time for the Giants’ best defensive player, and with neither the Giants, nor Pierre Paul talking, fans are left to wonder what to expect.
While frustrated with the team suffering yet another injury, after seeing stars like David Wilson and Victor Cruz go down last season, when the Giants led the league in number of players on Injured Reserve, Shannon Sweet, a Giants fan from Williamstown, Vermont, said he doesn’t judge Pierre Paul harshly for the mistake that caused the injury, he simply hopes to see the 2-time Pro Bowl player back on the field as soon as possible.
“Just, really sick of the continuance of Giant injuries,” Sweet said. “If they can stay healthy they can compete for a deep run.”
He said the flukiness of the injury was also frustrating, and he hopes Pierre Paul can come back strong.
“JPP was doing something that thousands of other Americans were doing the same weekend,” Sweet said. “Unfortunately, he had an accident. That sucks! I hope he is able to come back with the same vigor and skill, and if so, the Giants should franchise him.”
The latter appears to be a given at this point, but some speculate that Pierre Paul has not signed the Franchise tender because once he does it allows the Giants to place him on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, which would guarantee that he would not see the field until week 7 at the earliest. By not signing, he has the opportunity to heal up on his own time table, then sign the contract and return to the team.
Pierre Paul was not the only NFL player to suffer fireworks related injuries, as Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cornerback CJ Wilson lost two fingers in a firework accident of his own. Although Wilson is not as big a name as Pierre Paul, the injury could prove more difficult to come back from, as he will likely be fighting for a roster spot, and will miss the preseason due to his injuries.
The Buccaneers issued a statement about Wilson when news of his injuries broke.
“We are aware that C.J. was involved in an accident that occurred over the July 4th holiday,” the statement read. “It is our understanding that the injury occurred to one of his hands, and our primary concern at this moment is for his long term health. We have been in contact with C.J. and are continuing to monitor the situation.”
Pierre Paul’s teammate Rashard Jennings, the Giants lead running back, spoke from a football camp at Kean University, and supported his friend’s decision to keep his personal information private. He also said, that people have to remember that there is the football side of the injury, but more importantly there is also a human side.
“You look at it with different lenses,” Jennings said. “You know, he’s a big part of the success of this team and you want him out there, so you’ve got your fingers crossed, hoping that he can be healthy for the team as well.”
Sweet also said the human side of the story is important, and he has been bothered by the number of fans he has seen disparaging Pierre Paul on message boards and social media.
“I don’t get all emotional and hateful towards him like I read from a boatload of fans on the message boards,” Sweet said. “He’s human too, messed up and can hopefully come back from it.”
Jared Zero